Spring into March

our house (on the right beyond the car park) and street a couple of weeks ago

2 months after I broke my arm, it is well on the way to healing.  If you happened to read this blog some years ago when I had a knee replacement you’ll recall that I had a poor view of physiotherapy – some essential exercises to get me back on track but too much time left hitched to electrodes.  This time, it has been much better – an enthusiastic team of young therapists who know how to help reduce swelling and prevent inappropriate movements.  But in any case I have a tongue in my head, and I am working out (even in French) what questions to ask and how to time them!  The physiotherapy team has two cramped rooms and too many people – therapists, students and patients – so we cannot expect miracles.  Even though everyone wears masks and washes hands regularly, social distancing is downright impossible – the therapists have to change to and from working clothes in corners, and the small collection of rubber balls, poles and cool jackets in constant use cannot possibly be sterilised well enough.  Anyway, on the whole I count my blessings and enjoy yet more sunshine as spring arrives.

So to other things that have caught my attention lately.  Vegetarianism has gained ground here in France since we started to come regularly in the 90s, and like many cases in the past, ‘veggie’ apparently includes fish in this report. But it seems always to raise heat and fury. 50 years ago a friend came for a meal and exclaimed she had ‘never eaten vegetarian’, and I thought then as I do still that this was odd - in any case, we love our vegetables in this southern French horticultural paradise, and while I like meat and fish, I am very happy to eat vegetables   Our favourite local greengrocers' reopened this week and I was able to go on my first solo shopping walk to find things like lovely fresh salads.

A fascinating chalky article here linking three things important to me - the chalk landscape of the Chilterns where I grew up, sparkling wine from Sussex closely linked to Champagne, and the continuity between southern England and northern France.

From Apollo Magazine : “Dolly Parton, the one public figure almost everyone would agree deserves a statue, has urged lawmakers in her home state of Tennessee to withdraw a bill to erect a statue of her in the grounds of the State Capitol building in Nashville. ‘Given all that is going on in the world,’ Parton tweeted, ‘I don’t think putting me on a pedestal is appropriate at this time.’ Which only makes her more deserving, of course.”

One of the constant struggles we have to improve our French is knowing about singular and plural. We have long known that trousers are singular (un pantalon), and we as a family also (les North rather than the Norths), but I realised today that the opposite can apply - ‘off the beaten track’ is ‘hors des sentiers battus’ 

Our minds, M’s especially, are often on Fair Isle knitting this year, so we were fascinated to find fashionable in yet another catalogue. The slimmer model’s ‘tank’ retails at nearly £150, but lacks the loving care that went into mine! Thanks again M xx

There are voies vertes, foot-and cycle paths made from old railways all around us, and the upgrade of the canal path from here to the coast at La Grande Motte is due to be completed shortly - I'm looking forward to riding it when I get back on my bike soon.   Of course we had the High Peak Trail near our old home in Wirksworth, where I'd sometimes cycle with dog Ruff running alongside.   There are also plenty of urban cycleways too - in Paris we have walked more than once on the Promenade Plantée SE of the city centre - so I was fascinated to see this article about another in an area of London . Old railways deserve a second life.

after lunch